A Japanese H-2B rocket successfully launched a cargo spacecraft carrying more than 4 tons of supplies and equipment for the International Space Station Aug. 19, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency said. The rocket lifted off from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center at 7:50 a.m. Eastern time carrying the fifth H-2 Transfer Vehicle (HTV) spacecraft, releasing the spacecraft into low Earth orbit about 15 minutes later. The spacecraft was scheduled to arrive at the station Aug. 24. The HTV-5 spacecraft is carrying about 3.7 metric tons of cargo in its pressurized compartment. That cargo includes supplies for the station's crew as well as hardware and experiments, including a mouse habitat and electrostatic levitation furnace.
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